Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-01-28
A Lucky Letter.
Tea is ready girls said oaba

Tea is ready girls said oaba
Thorn.
Tea
1t was no luxurious repast of but
tered toast fragrant Coloug, honey
and preserves; no comfortable repast
of cold wi tongue, potted meats and
biscuit not from the oven
When Saba Thorn cal ed il tea
she merely used conNiut.onaliSm. 1t
wa, ONLY a small scanty meal of ba-
ker's read W tn pot of cheap but
ter. / title smoked beef. which had
been brought from the corner grocer
in brown-paper cover, and some
IN IL and water, blue and tasteless;
Tor Saba and her TWO cousins found II
necessary TO economic very strictly
indeed.
Saba worked for an upholsterer.
All day long she stitched pillow ticks
and tufted mattresses in a dark little
room. where there was a prevailing
smell of rancid geese feathers.
Her cou in Helen stood behind the
counter of milliner's shop on the
Bowery; and little kate-the Youngest
OF tie three-was packer in a
fancy store. and could do up more
neat paper parcels in given time than
YOU would believe possible.
They were all three pallid and color
less. like plants that had grown in a
cellar. They all three had a certain
languor of manner, and spoke in low
suppressed voices.
They lived together in this one room
with a little alcove running out of II.
. no .h a
existence. and because their scant
earnings. dubbed together could be
laid out to better advantage than If eN-
penje singly. Moreover, to these
poor homeless girls there was home
feeling in being together.
Il don't feel hungry" said Helen,
with a grmace.
II am 80 tired of brea and butter"
sighed ! tile Kate. "Oh. if could on
" have some Of the ,tewcd grape, tha
mother used 10 make.
"Oh. thai reminds me said Saba
taking a letter of the mcnt-l. - VI
heard from old Mrs Pnkney. Sh,
wants US TO buy a fashionable bonnie
for her garnet velvet with lonl
plume If we can get il for dollaI
and half: and to look out for bar
gain in crimson mcrino for LouiSi
james Winter frock. She wants th'
very best quality and she can't e,
higher than tn rty-sevcn cents yard
And she W hes to know if we are &C
quaintcd with any body in the husines
who VIII dye over her pea green silk a
half-price. y
Helen shrugged her shoulders.
'She must think we have plenty q
time to execute her commissions sal
she
"Merino for thirty-seven cents
Yard cried little Kate. And a ha
of velvet for a dollar and a-half Doe
the woman expect impossible itiesP'
But that isn't all. said Saba. Tn
Gle John is very poor. She thinks hi
relations ought to look after him.
IL ncle joint said Kate.
''Poor!" echoed Helen.
But what has become of all h
money! said little Kate, intently kni
ting her brows.
= ~ m sure | don't know said Sab;
Mrs. Pinkncy doesn't 20 into particI
lars. All the rest of the letter is aboI
t the sewing society, and the chcke
> cholera which has carried OIL 30 man
OF her fowls.
"IIe must have been persuaded inf
investing IN some of these dreadfl
D mining stocks!' said little Kate.
{ But girls said Saba. what al
we 10 do?
"Precisely what he has ALWAYS dor
TO US. said Helen let h m alone.
mo. no. Helen pleaded little Kat
i "Dont talk SO. Remember, he is Il
u only uncle we have got. He was OF
e mothers brother.